Daniel Sancho He faces his new life in the Thai prison of Surat Thani, where he is after being sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Edwin Arrieta. This change in his life began on August 30, a day after the court pronounced his sentence. He was transferred from Koh Samui Prisonwhere he had been detained since his arrest in August, at the prison of Surat Thanilocated more than 600 kilometers from Bangkok. This prison center is known for its harsh conditions, overcrowding of prisoners and lack of basic resources, which turned your stay into a nightmare.
Surat Thani is a prison that houses more than 5,200 inmatesa figure that exceeds its capabilities and creates a stifling and hostile environment. Living conditions in this center, they are extremely precarious. Overcrowding and the general lack of hygiene make daily life in prison particularly difficult for prisoners.
From what they say, Prisoners face food shortages and contagious diseases pose a constant danger due to high humidity and insufficient medical care. The inmates, many of whom are dangerous criminals, must survive in an environment that is unforgiving of mistakes and weaknesses.
How is Daniel Sancho?
Daniel Sancho had to quickly adapt to this difficult new scenario, which is far from the life he knew before his imprisonment. “He is in hell,” say sources close to the case, speaking of the prison he received. After completing the initial period of isolation established by Thai prison regulations, Sancho began living with the rest of the prisoners. The situation, according to his lawyers and friends, is extremely delicate.as he is now exposed to an environment full of tension and danger without the protection he previously enjoyed in Koh Samui.
When he was first admitted to Surat Thani, he was confined in an isolation pod for over a month. Carmen Balfagón, who is part of his defense teamconfirmed that Sancho spent his first days in high security conditions, away from the general prison population. At that time, his daily life was marked by loneliness and the inability to carry out activities that were once essential to his well-being, such as physical exercise. This detail is particularly relevantsince the young chef has always led an active life and sport is something fundamental for him.
lack of exerciseadded to the inability to socialize, affected Sancho psychologically during this period of isolation. Although he was allowed to read, this activity did not compensate for the lack of physical movement, which his lawyer described as “what cost him the most” during his stay in prison so far.
There were even speculations about a possible friendly relationship between Daniel and an Austrian prisoner, with whom he coincided in the isolation module. However, Carmen Balfagón clarified that she does not have specific information on this aspectwhile emphasizing that Thai law requires new detainees to be kept in solitary confinement for at least a month.
Changes in Daniel Sancho’s life
After the isolation period, Daniel Sancho was transferred to a section of the prison where he shares his space with other inmatesmany of them are considered extremely dangerous. From now on, his life in prison will become even more complex, as he will have to learn to survive in an environment that is not only physically demanding, but also emotionally draining.
His lawyer, Marcos García Montes, revealed that in this new stage, Rodolfo Sancho’s son will no longer have the “prisoner of trust” who, in Koh Samui, offered him a certain level of protection. This puts him at greater risk in Surat Thani, a prison where violence and tensions between inmates are prevalent.
What is the inside of the prison like?
One of the most shocking aspects of life in Surat Thani is the use of 3.5 kilo chains on prisoners’ legs. TEresa Bueyes, lawyer invited to the “Together” programhighlighted this practice and the physical and psychological consequences it causes. Inmates not only have to wear these heavy chains, but also face miserable living conditions, where parasites, humidity and lack of space are part of daily life. According to Teresa, “in this prison, it’s hell. Inmates live in what is practically a sewersurrounded by infections and many don’t even have space to lie down to sleep.
In addition, food conditions are extremely precarious. Prisoners, according to the lawyer, subsist on minimal rations and are sometimes forced to eat insects to survive. The lack of adequate food and the constant presence of contagious diseases due to humidity mean that Surat Thani a place that many describe as a veritable hell on Earth.
